The story of 'O'

Carlo Petrini - slow food

Carlo Petrini

If you happen to be passing the exhibition centres at Plaça Espanya this weekend, wake up and smell the coffee, for within the ideas of some of the most influential food philosophers in Catalunya are slowly hatching.

This is the first Fórum Eco-cocineros KM0 to be held in Spain, moderated by the venerable Carlo Petrini of Italy’s slow food movement with a host of other equally passionate slow foodies—among them Barcelona’s Alfons Bach of Mam i Teca in the Raval (the first KM0 restaurant in the city), Oriol Rovira of Els Casals in Berguedà, Pep Bové, the biodynamic and ecological meat farmer of Cau Pauet and Rosa Solá, the president of Slow Food Barcelona—come together to discuss, for want of a better description: the art of sustainable eating and what it means for you, me and the planet we inhabit.

The concept of KM0 took root among restaurateurs in the Veneto region of Italy on the premise that they would only buy direct from local producers. ‘0’ in this case refers to kilometres or more accurately lack of them; part of the KM0 manifesto is that no product should have travelled more than 100 kilometres to get to your plate ensuring better-tasting seasonal food and fewer carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Inevitably other issues arise like how to protect biodiversity in species—it would be a sad day if the revered black turnips of Garrotxa were to be no more, or Montserrat tomatoes became extinct—while raging against industrialisation, GM foods and the like.

The event takes place at the Palau Sant Jordi on Montjuïc, Sala 7 on Sunday May 2nd from 5.30-7.30pm and finishes with a tasting of food from the producers and restaurants involved. Simply turn up in good time to attend. Slowfood members can also pick up their free entrance tickets from Biocultura at Mam i Teca, C/Luna 4 (Raval). For more information about Slow Food events in Barcelona, visit www.biocultura.org.